U Aung Min, President’s Office Minister for ethnic and NGO affairs,
is due to visit Panghsang, the capital of Wa on the Sino-Burmese border,
in December, according to sources close to the United Wa State Army
(UWSA) leadership.

“He had given 1 December as a tentative date,” said a source on the border last night. “But he is yet to confirm it.”

First Union-level meetings between Naypyitaw and UWSA in Lashio on 1 October 2011. (Photo: MNA)

This will be the first visit to Panghsang by U Aung Min, also Vice
Chairman of the Union Peacemaking Work Committee (UPWC), who likes to
call himself Minister Without Borders.

The two sides have already held 1 state level and 2 union level
meetings. The government delegation, on all 3 occasions, was led by U
Aung Thaung, who was said to be very close to the Wa leaders, especially
Wei Xuegang, Commander of the Thai-Burmese border based 171st Military
Region.
Key agreements reached at these meetings include:

6 September 2011

State level

Ceasefire

1 October 2011

Union level

Non-secession from the Union

26 December 2011

Union level

To “continue negotiating” on the UWSA representation in the parliament

Since then, no negotiations have taken place between the two sides. U
Aung Thaung had also “resigned” in May, when the UPWC was formed.